Ashley
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: POV. I don't own anyone. Please Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Please Review**

**[Ashley]**

I was originally from new Orleans but had grown up in new York. My mom Angela had died from sickness when I was young. I'd been raised by my dad who'd hurt me. I now lived w/ my adoptive parents Karen and Jesse who'd adopted me after finding me in New York the previous year. Actually what they'd really done was rescue me from my dad. We all lived in Denver, co.

My adopted sisters Rose, lily and I hadn't been in ballet that night bc id had a feeling something would happen that night and we wanted to be home for what it was. My biological mother had passed on her psychic sense to me.

Rose, lily and I had ballet 2 times a day morning and night from 5 - 7. A few months after id moved in id signed up for it at the school they took it where they also took ballet.

By the time we got to the big white medicine-smelling clean hospital it was already dark out. It had been dark since 7 that night. It was now almost midnight. The hospital as always was lit.

When we arrived everyone went their seperate ways. My adoptive 14 year old sisters, the twins Amanda and Louisa split up. Before they left I'd warned Amanda to be careful.

"She's already _in_ a hospital," Tom, my adoptive 16 year old sister alexa's 20 year old boyfriend, pointed out logically, "what could possibly happen to her here?"

He smelled like cologne.

He had a point. If you were already sick it was better to be in the hospital than not. And Amanda was. She had an eating disorder. Which she'd had for a year.

I went into the medium size waiting room where Karen and Jesse were sitting in comfortable blue chairs. I noticed that both my parents smelled good. Karen like perfume and wine and Jesse like cologne and beer. Both she and Jesse were still in the clothes they'd worn to the reunion, Karen in purple and Jesse in black. This was an indication they hadn't had time to change clothes which meant they'd come straight from the reunion to our house to the car to the hospital.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi honey," Karen said.

"Hey Ashley," Jesse said.

"How is she?" I asked, getting straight to the point as was my habit.

"Both Kate and Anna are in operating rooms. Anna's giving her more marrow. So it could be awhile. I'll probably have to stay here overnight," Karen replied, sounding tired.

Kate and Anna were my sisters. Anna was 10 Kate 13. Besides Evan and the twins they were the only biological children of Karen and Jesse. But all of them were my adoptive siblings.

Anna's giving Kate more bone marrow was a regular occurance since Kate had been diagnosed w/ leukemia when she was 2, 11 yrs ago.

"Oh."

"How's Amanda? She ok?" Jesse asked quickly following a question w/ another.

"Yeah. Well, no, not really. But she doesn't have to be hospitalised, which..."

We took as a really good sign.

"Right. You ready for the concert tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We're pretty well rehearsed."

"Ok."

"Marie and I are going grocery shopping today," I said.

"Ok. Call me if you need anything."

"We will."

Marie was my 14 year old sister.

"How was the reunion?" I asked.

"Oh wow I completely forgot about that," Karen said, sounding a bit dazed.

"Good," Jesse said, "your mom ran into a friend of hers."

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yeah. We were, involved, then."

"The dark haired woman in the black dress?" I asked.

I'd seen the woman not long ago at our place.

Karen laughed; "you make it sound so mysterious. Yes, Ashley."

"Oh."

"How were things at home?" Jesse asked.

"The twins had another argument, involving Amanda."

Mom sighed.

_It was a sunny day in Brooklyn about a year ago. I'd left the small apartment my dad and I shared after he'd come home from the bar, yelling and angry. I'd gone and sat down on a black wire bench on the tree lined sidewalk. A guy about my father's age, 40, who was tall with longish light brown hair, approached me._

_"Hi," he said._

_"Hey," I returned._

_"Mind if I sit?"_

_"No."_

_He started to sit next to me on the bench._

_"Other bench," I said._

_"What?"_

_"Sit on the other bench. I got issues with space."_

_"Uh, ok."_

_He moved._

_"Thanks," I said._

_"Sure."_

_I could feel him looking at the bruises my father had placed on my arm this morning. He was studying them._

_"Do you have leukemia?" he asked._

_"What?" I asked, the illness the furthest thing from my mind._

_"My daughter, she, uh, has bruises like that from her leukemia."_

_"Oh. No. My dad he, um..." I really didn't want to go into the whole story._

_"Oh."_

_"I'm Ashley," I told the guy._

_"Hey, Jesse. Nice day."_

_"Yeah. It is."_

_I really wasn't up for making small talk but I could tell he wasn't going to leave._

_"How old's your daughter?" I asked._

_"13."_

_"Jeez what an age."_

_"Yeah. Moreso with her leukemia. She was diagnosed when she...I don't know why I'm telling you this. You look like you've got enough problems of your own."_

_"It's that obvious huh?" I asked._

_"No, I just pay attention."_

_"Mmmm."_

_I'd just stepped onto the porch. It was night, quiet and dark. After dinner, which had been at 5, I'd gone downtown for 2 hours. It was weird, being somewhere I didn't really know. Dinner was interrupted by Kate getting sick. Jesse, Karen and the others had gone to the hospital. It was now 7._

_The smell of smoke reached me._

_"Hey," a male voice said in the dark._

_"Hey, mind if I light up?" I asked._

_A packet of cigerettes and a small black lighter was tossed my way._

_"Thanks," I said, after lighting up._

_"Sure."_

_I set the lighter and packet on the porch railing and sat in a porch chair._

_"I'm Evan," the guy's voice said from the other end of the porch._

_"Ashley," I told him._

_"Where you from?"_

_"Brooklyn."_

_"Oh. They're at the hospital."_

_"Figured as much. Why aren't you with them?" I asked._

_"Eh, didn't feel like going."_

_"Oh."_

_"You want a drink?"_

_"I'm 16," I pointed out._

_"Yes and I'm 17. Ashley," I heard him lean forward._

_I turned his way: "yeah?"_

_"They won't be back for at least another 2 hours."_

_"Ok."_

_I followed him into the house._


	2. Chapter 2

Ashley

I was sitting there in the long cold clean white hallway. I wondered why mom was so upset about my work. She hadn't been upset about my modeling or working at the bookstore or working as a cocktail waitress. But then id barely had a chance to tell her before shed been interrupted by kate. The hall was quiet. And still. And right now I needed both.

Back in Brooklyn whenever it was this quiet it meant that dad was coming home. And that was never a good sign. No one knew this but angela wasn't my only daughter. She was however my only living daughter.

Down the hall I heard mom and Amanda arguing. Hospital staff was bustling but no one paid much notice to me. No of course they didn't.

"karen where you goin?" I heard dad ask.

"to get some coffee. Out. I don't really know," she replied.

They both left.

I heard footsteps come down the hall toward me and near jumped. I stiffened.

"honey its ok," Amanda voice said.

I looked up to see her standing in front of me.

"oh. Ok. Sry," I said.

"hey I get it. Mind if I sit?" she asked looking at a spot next to me.

I glanced at it then back at her; "sure, free….um. Hallway."

"im not asking for the hell of it, you know."

Her words cut me. And cut through to me.

I sighed.

"actually no. I don't mind. Fact is I could use the company."

"ok."

She sat, putting her legs to the side.

"your mom kinda came down on you hard huh?" she said.

"yeah um…why?"

"well - and this is between us - "

I nodded.

"but when she was a little older than you she was one. She worked in the Moulin rouge. In paris."

"yes I know where that is Amanda," I said.

"oh. Ok. I know you don't know much about her past."

"yeah or, anything."

"she doesn't talk much about it. I was there."

"in paris?"

"yeah went and visited her."

"oh."

"you might not know this or be aware but shes scared."

I looked at pam; "then why didn't she just tell me?"

"shes not so good w/ feelings."

"shes a therapist."

"it doesn't mean shes a good mom."

"shes not bad either," I said.

"I didn't say that," pam said.

"no I know."

"oh. Shes just. Complicated."

"yeah im beginning to figure that out," I said.


	3. Chapter 3

Ashley

I sat there in the quiet hallways w/ Amanda, thinking about all this. The fact that back in Brooklyn when it was quiet meant something bad was going to happen wasn't. good. Well it was that way here too but it didn't mean I was in danger just that kate was. It was really a matter of unpredictability the unpredictability of life. And timing the timing of everything. My dad could've done worse than hurting me the way he did. Id ended up hospitalised bc of him. But, if id somehow died, I wouldn't have to live w/ that knowledge. I was young when my mom died. She was sick. And in a way she was lucky my dad didn't kill her that she went that way. She was the one who taught me to play piano. After she died I stopped playing.

I didn't know what it meant for things to be quiet without something big happening.

Its pretty sad that my own adoptive mom didn't tell me she was scared that her own friend, one of my bosses, had to. Amanda was nice a lot nicer than karen at times. Karen basically inferred she didn't care what I did w/ my life. And neither had my dad. But I had to stay w/ my family in case something happened to karen. So I didn't have time to focus on me.

"hey," Amanda said quietly.

I looked at her; "yeah?"

"im going to go check on your mom ok?"

"ok. Thank you."

"of course honey. You know where to find me."

"yeah always."

She stood.

She left leaving me there in the quiet.


	4. Chapter 4

As I listened to the quiet my head got tighter. It started in my forehead and around my eyes then moved to my sides. I pulled my knees up to my chest and put my head on them. I did some yoga breaths and closed my eyes.

I near fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Soft quiet footsteps approached me from behind and 2 big soft cold hands touched my neck. I lifted my head back towards whoever it was.

"no don't," he said, "put your head forward again back on your knees."

I did and his hands started rubbing my neck.

"omygod," I said as I breathed out surprised by how good it felt.

"I know. My sisters used to get the same thing. Constant pressures gonna be the best thing. Shhh just breathe."

"I…"

"don't talk."

Ok.


	6. Chapter 6

Ashley

After Amanda left the hall was quiet again. I leaned back against the wall letting the cold seep in. tears started to collect in my eyes. It felt weird. My dad never liked tears. Well. He never liked women who cried. Even though I hadn't seen him in about a yr I was still afraid. It was also weird showing tears somewhere this caring.

A hefty African american nurse came walking down the hall. She seemed vaguely familiar. I think she was a nurse my family knew. She looked down at me.

"hi, Ashley?" she asked.

I looked up; "yeah?"

"im alice. Remember me?"

"kindof?"

I was confused.

"im kates nurse," she informed me.

"oh."

"honey whats wrong?"

"I….."

I was hesitant to tell her. I wasn't sure how much time she had. Or how much time any of us have.

"I have a few minutes," alice said.

"oh."

Ok.

I stood as I felt odd actually talking physically up to her.

"I…." I looked around; "I don't have time for me."

She looked at me, waiting; "what do you mean?"

I inhaled; "its just…..karents not around much for the others. And whenever it gets quiet there something big is going to happen just like it did in Brooklyn. I didn't know what quiet feels like without that. Im…..im out of Brooklyn but its still. Not really about me."

"wow. that's really sad."

"theres Amanda to talk to. My boss. Well. One of them. And shes nice but its. Not enough. I lost my mom when I was young….so…."

"oh honey."


	7. Chapter 7

**Ashley**

Last night around 8 my younger sister kate had gotten sick but wed had to wait untill 11 for her to go to the hospital. Wwe had to wait for our parents to get back from their high school reunion. Everyone but marie had come. I didn't know where she was but when id texted her and asked shed said she was downtown visiting a friend. Anna had had to give kate blood and bone marrow. Wed gotten at the hospital near midnight. Id the bone marrow transplant had taken 6 hrs but id left early bc I had ballet from 4 - 6 this morning. Id had breakfast at 8. I had cheerleading after school from 3 - 4 and then ballet from 5 - 7. And then work from 7 - 10 and then my job at a strip club downtown from 11 - 1.

Once I left the house I went to the bathroom of a nearby star bucks. I went into a stall closed and locked the door. I took my razor blade out of the small black film canister in my purse. I put my purse on the floor and the film canister on the toilet paper holder. The bathroom was cold and quiet.

I cut.

After I cut I put the razor blade back in my film canister which I put back in my purse. I got my purse and walked into the café.

There were a few people ahead of me in line.

"these are new?" a guy to my right asked.

I looked up and saw a tall tan guy standing to my right. He had long curly dark hair.

I crossed my arms putting my hands over my cuts.

"I. um…" I began.

"its ok. My sister does it too," he leaned closer to me, "cuts."

"oh."

His breath was warm. He smelled like smoke and leather and cologne.

"im carlos btw. You come here often?" he asked.

"oh. Ashley. Nice to meet you. Youre from south america?" I asked seeing a map of the country when he leaned in.

"yeah you too. And yeah howd you know?"

"lucky guess?"

"and yeah," I answered his previous question, "when im not in school or working or at cheerleading or ballet. Or. Waiting for my sister to get sick."

He stepped back eyed me up and down.

"cheerleading?" he repeated.

"yeah," I said.

"idinno you, don't really seem like a cheerleader. I mean youre not. Uh. Perky."

I laughed; "yeah well. Looks can be deceiving."

The line moved forward.

My phone buzzed w/ a text.

"ex, cuse me," I said.

"sure go ahead," carlos said.

I turned flipped my phone open. Id gotten the text from an unknown number. It read; I know your secret.

I flipped the phone closed and turned back to carlos.

"hey did you just text me?" I asked.

"no I don't even have your number," he replied.

"oh. Ok."

"why?"

"I. wrong number I guess."

Which seemed weird getting a text rather than a call from a wrong number.


	8. Chapter 8

A few minutes later I got another text;

It was not, a wrong number. It was a right number. Bc everything happens for a reason. Right? Like you believe. xoxo

Whoever had sent me that text knew I was the kindof person who believed everything happens for a reason. They seemed annoyed and then fake happy.


	9. Chapter 9

This chapter was inspired by Emily-Jade's story 'Teenage Whore'. thanks for the inspiration! :)

**POV: Ashley**

I was at my locker before class that day.

"Ashley!" Melissa one of the cheerleaders called.

I didn't know her well other than she was a gossip.

"What?" I asked annoyed by her presence.

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what I don't have a lot of time."

"Your sister went all the way w/ jimi."

"Janis', jimi? And which sister?"

Janis was a sister of Melissa. They were both daughters of Kerry and Haley girls my mom Karen had known when she was in high school.

"Hannah which sister do you think? It's Marie."

"Melissa. Go away. I have to get to class."

She sighed; "ok."

She left.

Why didn't Marie tell me? That is if this was true. And jimi while I didn't know him well didn't seem the type to have sex w/ just anyone. He was a nice guy not that kindof person. I knew he did drugs but that didn't mean he'd do. this.

I closed my locker and walked down the hall trying to find Marie. Who wasn't at her locker.

On the way passed jimi.

"Hey you," I began.

He turned from talking w/ Janis and Joan to me; "yeah?"

"You seen Marie?"

"Bathroom."

"Thanks."

I continued down the hall and into the women's restroom. Where Marie was standing by the window smoking.

"Yeah what do you want?" she asked annoyed.

"Is it true?" I asked.

"Is what true?"

"That you slept w/ jimi."

"What business is it of yours?"

"I just. I just care. Ya know?"

"Well there are other ways to do it besides flatout accusing me."

"I didn't accuse I asked. I just want to make sure you don't catch anything."

"Yeah. You weren't there in Paris Ashley."

"You caught shit in Paris? Why the hell doesn't dad know?"

"Why do you think," Marie said.

Oh. that's right. Bc he was busy w/ Kate.

"And not only did I - I caught it from my mom. That is she passed it - look don't tell anyone ok!" Marie cried looking scared.

"I won't," I promised; "but why didn't you get it checked out?"

"We meant to but we just. didn't know that much about it."

"Oh. You need to see someone about it."

"Yeah I meant to when I moved in but I just. Never got around to it."

"Oh."

"And I don't have to tell you."

"jimi doesn't seem like that type of person," I said.

"He's not! We talked about it and we did stuff but we didn't do that. He knows that I have. Stuff. His friend Janis knows. Her moms know. Only bc Haley and Kerry have been very upfront and honest w/ them about safe sex. But don't worry they wont tell anyone," Marie finished in an annoyed low voice.

"Oh. Ok. Haley and Kerry?" I asked.

"Janis' moms. They grew up w/ Mom. Er I mean Karen."

"Right got that."

"So what I'm not allowed to associate myself w/ a druggie? Oh bc it'll ruin my reputation," Marie said.

"Well I thought you were trying to better yourself but maybe I was wrong. I thought that's why you left Paris."

"Yeah maybe you were."

"Marie. I want you to feel like you can tell me this stuff."

"You know how you overreact."

"Only bc I care and I'm the next oldest woman. Which means, that if something happens to Karen I have to step up."

"You can be a little intimidating. Honestly," Marie told me.

"And it's not like you tell me everything either," she pointed out.

"You're 14. I'm 17," I said.

"I've been working as a prostitute foe years and you're telling me I cant handle shit?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Ashley**

My sisters and I weren't in school that day bc we had the concert.

After I left the café at 10 I went to the park to set up for the concert.


	11. Chapter 11

**1 p.m.**

**Ashley**

I was cleaning up after the concert when a tall thin guy about in his 30's came up to me. He had curly light brown hair and green eyes. He was in a white t shirt black vest and dark pants.

"Hey," I said wondering what he wanted.

"Hi I'd like to buy some CDs for my kids," he told me.

"Your…your kids?"

"In my Spanish class."

"Oh ok. At the high school?"

"That's the one."

"How many?"

"10."

"Ok so that's…..$200," I calculated.

"Here."

He handed me a 2 hundreds which I put in my purse.

"Help yourself," I told him gesturing towards the basket the CDs were in.

He bent down and took 10.

"Thank you so much we really appreciate it," I told him.

"Sure. Anything to help a cause," he said.

He stood back up.

"You go to the high school by any chance?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Great. Well id love to have you in the glee club."

"I'll think about it."

"Sure. Thanks again."

"You're welcome."

He left.


	12. Chapter 12

Ashley

When I got to the strip club it was 11:10. I was supposed to have gotten there 40 minutes ago 10:30.

I went upstairs into the dressing room.

"Ashley youre about an hour late. Chloe renee and trixie are already out there. And gingeer. And we have a new girl santanna whos not here tonight since I let her take the night off," my boss Amanda told me.

"yeah I know Amanda. I was late to my other job too," I said annoyed as I reached under the table and pulled out the trunk my costume was stored in; "and I was late bc I had ballet from 5 - 7 and got to the place 30 minutes late but stayed an extra 40 and. Anyway im sorry."

"well in that casee you'll stay an extra 40. Untill 1:40."

"ok."


	13. Chapter 13

Ashley

When I got to the strip club it was 11:10. I was supposed to have gotten there 40 minutes ago 10:30.

I went upstairs into the dressing room.

"Ashley youre about an hour late. Chloe renee and trixie are already out there. And gingeer. And we have a new girl santanna whos not here tonight since I let her take the night off," my boss Amanda told me.

"yeah I know Amanda. I was late to my other job too," I said annoyed as I reached under the table and pulled out the trunk my costume was stored in; "and I was late bc I had ballet from 5 - 7 and got to the place 30 minutes late but stayed an extra 40 and. Anyway im sorry."

"well in that casee you'll stay an extra 40. Untill 1:40."

"ok."


	14. Chapter 14

_Ashley_

_I was sitting in my room in karen and jesses the one I shared w/ marie. I still wasn't used to the size of the big white house or how nice jesse was. Or how many new sibligns I had. There was rose, marie, anna, kate, Amanda, Louisa and evan. I still hadn't gotten signed up for a ballet class. Karen and jesse had been to busy. It was weird not being afraid of the guy who was now my dad. I could actually relax a little. I had more time to eat and sleep. Id started cheerleading after school. _

_Well, I could sortof relax. Right before I left my dad had hurt me again. Which had led to me being sick for more than 2 weeks._

_That night jesse called me down to dinner._

"_Ashley dinner!" he called upstairs._

"_ok-" I said putting my hand over my mouth and ran to the bathroom "be right there!"_

_I went into the bathroom closed the door got sick opened it and went down the stairs into the kitchen where I sat down at the table where jesse karen evan and Hannah were._

"_ooh whats for dinner?" I asked._

"_we have - " said karen from the stove "pasta."_

"_you alrite?" jesse asked._

"_yeah why?" I countered._

"_you look. Um. Different."_

"_no im fine."_

"_ok."_

'_karen never cooks, what gives?' I mouthed to evan; 'shes usually too busy to'._

'_well apparently she wasn't too busy to tonight. And not sure.'_

'_oh.'_

"_do we have cucumbers?" I asked_

"_cucumbers?" jesse asked._

"_yeah I, suddenly really want some. You know. Makes things healthier."_

"_no I don't think so but I can go get some."_

"_ok."_

"_I actually need to go to the store too," karen said setting the giant pasta pot on the counter._

"_ill take care of the rest of dinner," evan said._

"_ok."_

_Karen and jesse left._


	15. Chapter 15

**9 a.m.**

**Ashley**

"Marie you gotta get up," I said to my sister that morning going into her room.

"I'm tired," she replied.

"You're tired because you've been out all night prostituting."

"I have nothing to do today Ashley."

"Not true you have a therapy session with pam."

"We don't talk."

"You don't talk because you won't talk. Not because she doesn't try."

"I wish mom were here."

"Well she's not."

"Not Karen. My mom."

Oh.

"Oh. Well she's not she's…." I began.

"Yeah I know. Dead."

"C'mon I'll make breakfast."

"I don't want breakfast."

"Well I'm making it anyway whether you want it or not."

"I've been too depressed to prostitute."

This surprised me.

"Yeah and apparently you've been too depressed to talk."

"It's not easy," she said.

"It's not easy for any of us this isn't news."

"You…haven't been doing that?" I asked.

"No."

"Oh. Wow. Well. Then what do you do all night?"

"I got to Lola's."

"Lola's the café/bar?"

"No my friend. Lola's."

"Oh."

A few weeks ago we'd moved from our place into Pam's when she'd moved into ours.

Marie had become a ghost in our own house. Well not our house pams house. But she didn't moan. Maybe if she were out making money having sex shed be moaning. She barely ate. Sat around cried slept. Sometimes shed come down for breakfast dinner. But she didn't eat. I didn't know where she was when she wasn't at home but I assumed downtown. She seemed really depressed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Ashley**

After the meeting Mandy and I were in my room looking at the songs on my windows media player. We were picking the tracklist for Mandy's CD. I was the best person for Mandy to come to since I had a multitude of music in my media player.

"Hey what about the money you got from your mom? Wasn't she like really rich or something?" Mandy asked.

She was referring to my biological mom who'd died when I was little.

"Um, no. But she was careful w/ money always."

"So…?"

"Well. Don't tell anyone but I've been writing anonymous checks to our dad to help pay the hospital bills."

"Oh. Ok. And I wont."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Ashley**_

_It was the middle of the day. Dad, Kate and I were the only ones home. Marie was downtown, Mom was at work, Evan was at his place and my sisters were at school. I was walking down the hall on my way to get something to eat from the kitchen, when I heard something from the bathroom. I immediatly knew it was Kate. _

_Of course Mom wasn't home. She was never home when Kate was sick. _

_Because Kate had been sick on and off for the past week, she'd lost more weight. This was partially due to the fact that somehow, because of her leukemia, her spleen was enlarged causing her to feel full. And, she'd been so sick she hadn't been able to keep a thing down. She'd lost quite a bit of weight due to this and had been bleeding a lot, which meant that at any given moment either Evan or Dad drove Kate and Anna to the hospital so Anna could give her more platelets in order to make up for what she'd lost. Mom hadn't told Anna what was really going on each time they went to the hospital, just that we were going to help Kate. Along with being sick and bleeding, she'd also been tired lately and more bruises had appeared. Because of her leukemia, her body didn't work the way it was supposed to. Bruises were formed by bleeding under the skin; Kate's blood didn't clot which meant her bruises didn't go away._

_When I got to the bathroom door I knocked on it and put my ear to it._

_"Kate?" I asked: "honey? It's Ashley. Can I come in?"_

_Inside I heard vomiting._

_I turned the knob, opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me._


	18. Chapter 18

Saturday

Ashley

Lily, rose and I were in the locker room of the ballet school very early that morning. Even though it was the weekend the time we had ballet didn't change. It was 5 - 7 every morning and night. Lily was stretching on the floor and I was helping rose pin her hair up.

In the mirror I saw the reflection of lily trying to bend over one leg. Her posture wasn't very good.

"honey if you have better posture you'll be able to better do that," I told her helpfully.

She sucked in from her middle torso and not from lower down. She tried again but still wasn't getting it.

"no," I said.

"hold on," I told rose who held her hair w/ her hands.

I went over and stood in front of lily.

"now watch me," I told her.

I sucked in from my lower torso. I watched as she repeated.

"there good," I told her.

I went back to rose stood behind her and pinned her hair up then went to sit on the floor where I wrapped my feet.

"thanks," rose said.

I looked at her; "uh huh."

I went back to my wrapping.

"damn I need more band aids," I muttered.

"well go after," lily said.

"ok."

"and get breakfast too," rose said.

"ok."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Ashley**_

_Evan and I were up in out on the porch smoking and drinking. Mom had gone to bed._

_"Hey thanks for saving me back there," I told him._

_"You're new here babe. I'm not," he said._

_"So what then I'm more important?"_

_"I just. Don't want you to get thrown out."_

_I started, stunned: "they. Do that?"_

_"Well…..with mom ya never know."_

_"Oh."_

_"Yeah but hey. Can't be any worse than where you came from. Where did you come from?"_

_"The city."_

_"Oh. I take it you don't wanna talk about it?"_

_"Um. No."_

_"Ok."_

_I went back inside._


	20. Chapter 20

**Ashley**

After Dad told me about Mom, I gathered Hannah and Rose into the big white living room, interupting breakfast. They looked at me expectantly. In the kitchen the round clock ticked.

We sat on the white couch, my sisters on either side of me. Outside it was a beautiful day. Sunny and warm. The big house was quiet. Hannah was in black as usual. Rose was in green.

"What happened?" Hannah asked.

"Well...Dad just called."

"And?"

"Mom's been in a car accident."

"Oh, my god. What happened?" Rose asked.

"Apparently she was hit by a drunk driver this morning while driving to work."

"Is she ok?"

"They don't know. She was brought to the ER at St. Luke's."

"Oh. Wow."

"Yeah I know."

We sat there, digesting this.


	21. Chapter 21

Ashley

Alexa and I felt as the 2 oldest women - lily, rose and alexa are all the same age but alexas the oldest of the 3 - in our family we have to take charge and make sure everyone gets what they need and sticks to their schedule which is why we confronted Kate about her iv being pulled out.


	22. Chapter 22

Friday

Ashley

I was in ballet class that morning. I was in first position w/ my right arm rounded. I stuck my right leg out and brought it around. I did this several times. As did the other girls in the class. Then we bent down then to the side and up. We repeated this several times. We bent forward and then back also several times. We did this on all 5 positions on both sides.


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